FRIENDS OF FRED THOMPSON, INC.
Headquarters:  1703 Gervais Street, Columbia SC  29201

Campaign Manager

Dean Rice

Rice led a Draft Fred Thompson 2008 effort.  Campaign manager for Rep. John J. Duncan's 2006 re-election campaign in Tennessee.  Senior legislative assistant to Rep. Duncan in 2004-05.  National field director of the Christian Coalition of America.  Southern regional political director on Elizabeth Dole's 2000 (1999) presidential primary campaign, where he was responsible for the grassroots operations in 16 states, including South Carolina.  Began working for Fred Thompson in 1994 during his first campaign for the U.S. Senate, served on his legislative staff on Capitol Hill, and worked on the his successful re-election effort in 1996.
 

Regional Field Directors

Upstate

Somer Grasser

A recent graduate of Bob Jones University.  Grasser managed a successful campaign for a State House candidate in 2006, was part of the Bush/Cheney team, and was a field operative for John McCain for President.
 

Midlands

Alex Brunk

Brunk has over six years experience in conservative activism and grassroots organizing, most recently managing a state legislative campaign in Pennsylvania in 2006.  In 2004 he served as deputy political director on Herman Cain's U.S. Senate campaign in Georgia.  He has worked for The Leadership Institute and the DC Economic Empowerment Coalition.  Bachelor's degree from Georgia Tech, where he was president of the College Republicans and served on the state board of the Georgia CRs.
 

Lowcountry

David Wipperman

David Wipperman is a 2007 graduate of The Citadel.
 
 

Communications Director

Joshua Gross

Gross came to the campaign from the South Carolina Club for Growth where he served as executive director for the past two years.  Prior to that, he served as communications director for a California-based campaign to save the Mount Soledad Cross, a veterans’ memorial in San Diego.  Graduate of the University of California at San Diego.
 
 

Operations Director

Lance Williams

Williams came to the campaign from his position as chief of staff to U.S. Rep. Gresham Barrett (R-SC).  He previously spent many years running his own small business, and he has been involved in grassroots efforts for several state-wide campaigns.  Williams holds an M.B.A. and received his undergraduate degree from Clemson University.
 
 

Office Manager

Danielle Frangos

Frangos joined the campaign after serving as state coordinator of former House Speaker Newt Gingrich’s recently concluded “American Solutions: Winning the Future” campaign.  She is a graduate of the University of South Carolina.
 
 
 

Advisor/In-State Consultant

Walter Whetsell

Founder (in 1996) of Starboard Communications based in Lexington, SC, Whetsell has implemented and developed voter contact programs for numerous state-wide races.  Coordinated the voter contact direct mail program for Gov. Mark Sanford's successful re-election campaign in 2006.  In 2004, Whetsell played an important role in helping Rep. Jim DeMint in both his successful primary and general election bid for the U.S. Senate.
 
 
 

Campaign Chair

Congressman Gresham Barrett

(announced as campaign chair on Nov. 14, 2007; a Thompson supporter since Spring 2007)  First elected to Congress in Nov. 2002; represents SC's 3rd CD (Anderson, Greenwood, Aiken).  Served three consecutive terms in the South Carolina State House of Representatives.  Managed his family-owned business, ‘Barrett’s Furniture,’ in Westminster, SC.  Served in the U.S. Army Field Artillery until 1987.  Graduate of The Citadel, 1983.
 
 

Phyllis Henderson is former Chair of Greenville County Council and an experienced Republican activist whose past work has included managing Jim DeMint's successful 1998 congressional campaign.

Edward T. McMullen, Jr. is president of the South Carolina Policy Council Education Foundation.    He served on the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education, as well as Governor Sanford's transition task force and as the Director of Development Research at the Heritage Foundation in Washington, D.C.

Cyndi Mosteller is the former Chair of the Charleston County Republican Party and former First Vice-Chair of the State Republican Party.  In 2000, she was a National Advisor on Life Issues to the McCain for President campaign and is a past president of South Carolina Citizens for Life. She is also Governor Sanford's at-large appointee to the South Carolina Commission on Higher Education.

Wendy Nanney is the immediate past Chair of the Greenville County Republican Party, a well-respected Upstate Republican activist and alumnus of Bob Jones University.

Randy Page is president of South Carolinians for Responsible Government.  Mr. Page has a long history of public service in the executive branch of state government, including as the former Chief of Staff to Lieutenant Governor Andre Bauer, and former member of Governor David Beasley's staff.  Mr. Page is actively involved in a number of pro-family, pro-life organizations, including serving on the Board of the Palmetto Family Council.  Randy is an alumnus of Bob Jones University.

·       Lin Bennett, Chair of the Charleston County Republican Party.

·       Phillip Bowers, Chair of the Pickens County Republican Party.

·       Arthur Bryngleson, Chair of the Dorchester County Republican Party.

·       State Senator Chip Campsen, District 43; Berkeley and Charleston Counties.

·       State Representative Harry Cato, Chair of the House Labor, Commerce and Industry (LCI) Committee; District 17, Greenville County.

·       State Senator Ray Cleary, District 34; Georgetown, Horry, and Charleston Counties.

·       Chad Connelly, Board Member of the Palmetto Family Council and South Carolinians for Responsible Government.

·       Stephen Davis, Principal and Project Manager for Davis & Floyd, Inc.  He is a member of the Erskine College Board of Trustees, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources from the Third Congressional District.

·       Robert Dozier, Chair of the Board of Trustees of Midlands Technical College.  He is a former Director of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, appointed by the Bush Administration. He is also the Chief Operating Officer and Managing Director of the Homeowners Mortgage Company and was named one of The State's "20 under 40" most successful businessmen in 2004.

·       Brantlee Fulmer, President of a multi-facility, faith-oriented day care business.  She is a past Vice President of the South Carolina Child Care Association.

·       State Senator Larry Grooms, Chair of the Senate Transportation Committee; District 37, Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton and Dorchester Counties.

·       Todd Kincannon, South Carolina Republican Party Parliamentarian.

·       Hunter Limbaugh, former advisor to Governors Carroll Campbell and David Beasley.  He is also a former legislator, having represented the Florence area in the State House in the 1990s.

·       State Representative Dwight Loftis, District 19; Greenville. Representative Loftis is also a former member of the Greenville County School Board.

·       Larry Marchant, former advisor to Governor Carroll Campbell and principal of the Palmetto Policy Group in Columbia.

·       Taft Matney, a small businessman specializing in government relations with long-time ties to conservative grassroots political efforts.

·      State Senator Jim Ritchie, Senate Majority Whip from District 13; Spartanburg, Greenville, and Union Counties.

·       Terrye Seckinger, member of the South Carolina Charter Schools Board who has previously served as a member of the State Board of Education and is widely recognized as a leading social conservative.
 

Regional Chairs (announced Nov. 14, 2007)
Upstate  - State Senator Jim Ritchie and State Representative Harry Cato
Midlands  - Chad Connelly
PeeDee - State Senator Ray Cleary
Low Country - State Senator Larry Grooms and State Senator Chip Campsen
 

County Chairs (announced Nov. 14, 2007)
Abbeville:  Janice McCord and Dr. Craig Gagnon.  McCord is the former South Carolina Field Director for the Christian Coalition, and is currently the GOP Executive Committeewoman from Abbeville County.  Gagnon is the Abbeville County GOP Chair and a successful small businessman.

Aiken: Jason Goings, Dennis Saylor, and Jason Whinghter.  Whinghter is a City Councilman from North Augusta, Chairman of the North Augusta Republican Party, and Chairman of the North Augusta Chamber of Commerce.  Saylor is the Aiken County State GOP Committeeman.  Goings is a well-respected Republican grassroots activist.

Anderson: Rusty Garrett, and State Representatives Michael Thompson and Brian White.  Garrett is an influential small businessman and an elected Director of the National Association of Realtors.  Thompson is a respected businessman and member of the Anderson Crisis Ministries Board of Directors.  White is a successful small businessman and member of the Anderson Rotary Club.

Berkeley: Janet Witte. Witte is a highly respected former teacher and former member of Mrs. Laura Bush's staff. She is a member of the Berkeley County Republican Club and Sea Island Republican Women. Her husband Stovall is former Chief of Staff to Congressman Henry Brown.

Calhoun: Reverend Max Kaster. Kaster is Pastor of the Calhoun Baptist Church, former Chairman of the Calhoun County Republican Party, and a veteran of both the US Navy and South Carolina National Guard, including 15 years of active duty.  Kaster still serves as a military bugler.

Charleston:  Charlie Lybrand and Cyndi Mosteller.  Lybrand is the 4-term elected Register Mesne Conveyance of Charleston County, a highly respected Republican activist and a member of the Sea Island Republican Club.  Mosteller is the former Chair of the Charleston Republican Party, and former National Advisor on Life Issues for the 2000 McCain campaign.  She was also the Chair of the GOP Platform Committee, and is the Past President of Charleston Citizens for Life.

Dorchester: Arthur Bryngelson. In addition to being the Dorchester County Republican Chair, Bryngelson is a well-respected businessman, a member of both the National Rifle Association and Gideon's International, and an Elder at Old Brooke Presbyterian Church.

Georgetown: Melissa Newsom. Newsom is a successful small business owner, County Executive Committeewoman, Secretary for the Waccamaw Neck Republican club, and a delegate to the SC GOP Convention.

Greenville: State Representative Eric Bedingfield, and Tim and Wendy Nanney.  Bedingfield is a past member of the Greenville County Council, a former Marine, and a successful Realtor.  Mr. Nanney is the Greenville County Register of Deeds and a former employee at Bob Jones University.  Mrs. Nanney is a successful businesswoman, First Vice Chair of the Greenville County GOP, and the immediate past Chair.  She is the daughter of Bob Taylor, who is the Dean of the College of Arts and Science at Bob Jones University.

Greenwood: Robbie Templeton. Templeton is Chair of the Greenwood County Council, a respected Republican activist and business leader.

Horry: Greg Hembree. Hembree is the Fifteenth District Solicitor which covers Horry and Georgetown Counties. Hembree is very active in the Horry County Republican Party, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Officers Association and Ocean Drive Presbyterian Church.

Laurens: State Representative Jeff Duncan. Duncan is a highly respected small businessman, member of the board of the Laurens County Chamber of Commerce and the Piedmont Wilderness Institute Board.

Lexington: John Carrigg and Todd Kincannon.  Carrigg serves as a Lexington County Councilman, and as Vice-Chair of the Central Midlands Council of Governments. Kincannon is an attorney, the Parliamentarian for the South Carolina Republican Party, and a member of the Republican National Lawyers Association.

Oconee: Eddie Adams. Adams is the Oconee County Republican Chair, and a successful businessman.

Pickens: State Representative Davey Hiott and Philip Bowers.  Hiott is the owner of Hiott Printing, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Pickens YMCA.  Bowers is the Chair of the Pickens County Republican Party, Vice Chair of the Pickens County Planning Commission, and a Senior Technical Specialist at the Oconee Nuclear Station.

Richland:  Greg Pearce. Pearce is a member of the Richland County Council. He has also been a Hospital CEO and is a member of the National Alliance for the Mentally Ill.

Spartanburg:  Brantlee Fulmer.   Fulmer is the President of a multi-facility day care business, and is a past Vice President of the South Carolina Child Care Association and a long-time supporter of Republican campaigns in the Upstate.

Sumter: Jimmy Byrd.  Byrd is a member of the Sumter County Council, the former Chair of the Sumter County Republican Party, and a former County Chair of the Romney for President campaign.

York: Park Gillespie.  Gillespie is a well-respected York County Republican activist and speaker, who is widely known for his successful appearance on the Showtime reality program "American Candidate", and is engaged in various Christian ministries.
 
 

Endorsements (announced Sept. 25, 2007)
Congressman Gresham Barrett (SC, 3 - Anderson, Greenwood, Aiken)
note Barrett a Thompson supporter since Spring; formal endorsement announced Sept. 25.

State Senator George E. "Chip" Campsen, III, Dist. 43 - Charleston and Berkeley Cos.
State Senator Raymond Cleary, III, Dist. 34 - Horry, Georgetown and Charleston Cos.
State Senator Lawrence K. "Larry" Grooms, Dist. 37 - Berkeley, Charleston, Colleton and Dorchester Cos.
State Senator John Hawkins, Dist. 12 - Spartanburg Co.
State Senator James H. "Jim" Ritchie, Jr., Dist. 13 - Spartanburg, Greenville and Union Cos.

State Representative Eric M. Bedingfield, Dist. 28 - Greenville Co.
State Representative Harry F. Cato , Dist. 17, Greenville Co.
State Representative Jeffrey D. "Jeff" Duncan, Dist. 15 - Laurens and Newberry Cos.
State Representative David R. Hiott, Dist. 4 - Pickens Co.
State Representative Dwight A. Loftis, Dist. 19 - Greenville Co.
State Representative Michael D. Thompson, Dist. 9, Anderson C o.
State Representative W. Brian White, Dist. 6, Anderson Co.
 

Veterans for Fred Thompson (announced Nov. 6, 2007)
Major General James Livingston, Honorary Chair
Colonel Richard Bagwell, Co-Chair
Major Robbie Clapper, Co-Chair
Corporal Bob Farris, Co-Chair

Students for Fred State Leadership (announced Nov. 14, 2007)
Co-Chair, John Carroll, University of South Carolina
Co-Chair, Brannon N. Darby, II, The Citadel
Co-Chair, Tran Anderson, Clemson University
Co-Chair, Marianne Brennan, College of Charleston

and endorsement of South Carolina Citizens for Life (announced Dec. 5, 2007)
 
 

Copyright ©  2007  Eric M. Appleman/Democracy in Action